Multiple position reclining chair assembly

Abstract

A multi-position, wall avoiding reclining chair assembly having a unitized metal frame construction and featuring an improved linkage for supporting a chair seat for forwardly directed movement relative to a chair supporting base, as the chair assumes an intermediate reclined or TV position. The chair assembly also features an improved mechanism permitting the application of pressure to a back rest to initiate movement of the chair seat and a foot rest relative to the chair supporting base between their upright and reclined positions without producing substantial coincident rearwardly directed reclining movements of the back rest relative to the chair seat. After the chair seat and foot rest are disposed in their reclined positions to define the intermediate reclined or TV position of the chair, the application of pressure to the back rest will effect movement thereof into its reclined position to thereby define the fully reclined position of the chair.

We claim: 
     
       1. In a multiple position reclining chair assembly of the type including a base portion, a seat portion, a back rest portion carried by said seat portion, a foot rest portion, a foot rest mounting linkage for mounting said foot rest portion on said seat portion for movement relative thereto between a collapsed storage position and an extended supporting position, linkage means operably interconnecting said base portion and said seat portion and said foot rest mounting linkage for moving said seat portion from an upright position forwardly relative to said base portion to a reclined position while as an incident thereto actuating said mounting linkage to move said foot rest portion from said collapsed storage position to said extended supporting position, and operating means for actuating said linkage means, the improvement comprising in combination: said linkage means includes front and rear linkage means for mounting front and rear portions of said seat portion for movement relative to said base portion, said rear linkage means including a rear strut and upper and lower rear pivot means for pivotally connecting upper and lower ends of said rear strut to said seat portion and said base, respectively, wherein said upper rear pivot means moves between upright and reclined positions thereof along an arcuate path of travel incident to movement of said seat portion between said upright and reclined positions, said reclined position of said upper rear pivot means being disposed forwardly and downwardly relative to said upright position thereof, said front linkage means including a front strut, upper front pivot means for pivotally connecting an upper portion of said front strut to said seat portion and a compound linkage means carried by said base portion and coupled to a lower portion of said front strut for supporting said front strut in a manner causing said upper front pivot means to move between upright and reclined positions thereof along a forwardly directed and generally horizontally disposed path of travel incident to movement of said seat portion between said upright and reclined positions, a control link pivotally connected adjacent its opposite ends to said foot rest mounting linkage and said front strut, and said control link is operably associated with said operating means and movable thereby to extend said foot rest portion towards said supporting position and move said seat portion towards said reclined position thereof.   
     
     
       2. A chair assembly according to claim 1, wherein said upper front pivot means, when in said upright and reclined positions thereof being disposed vertically below intermediate positions assumed thereby along the last said path of travel intermediate its said upright and reclined positions. 
     
     
       3. A chair assembly according to claim 2, wherein said back rest is mounted on said seat portion for rearwardly directed pivotal movements relative thereto between upright and reclined positions, said operating means is coupled to said back rest and responsive to movement thereof from its upright position to effect movement of said control link for extending said foot rest and moving said seat portion towards said reclined position thereof. 
     
     
       4. A chair assembly according to claim 3, wherein said operating means includes a friction device tending to oppose movement of said back rest from its upright position towards its reclined position and said linkage means additionally includes means for rendering said friction device inoperative during movement of said upper front pivot means between said upright position thereof and one of said intermediate positions at which the weight of a chair occupant supported by said seat portion becomes effective to propel said seat portion towards said reclined position thereof. 
     
     
       5. A chair assembly according to claim 3, wherein said operating means includes a friction device formed with friction surface means and mounted on said seat portion for movement between operative and inoperative positions, a control rod having a rear end mounted on said back rest and a front end slidably supported by said friction device, spring means tending to oppose pivotal movement of said back rest towards its reclined position and to bias said friction device from said inoperative position into said operative position thereof, wherein said friction surface means is removed from and disposed in operative frictional surface engagement with said control rod, respectively, and means carried by said front strut and arranged to engage with said friction device to maintain same in said inoperative position against the bias of said spring means during movement of said upper front pivot means between said upright position thereof and one of said intermediate positions at which the weight of a chair occupant supported by said seat portion tends to propel said seat portion towards said reclined position thereof, said front end of said control rod being arranged to removably engage with said control link to effect movement thereof as aforesaid by an amount at least sufficient to effect movement of said upper front pivot means from said upright position thereof into said one of said intermediate positions. 
     
     
       6. A chair assembly according to claim 1, wherein said back rest is mounted on said seat portion for pivotal movement relatively thereto about an axis defined by said rear strut upper pivot means between upright and reclined positions, said operating means has rear and front ends, said rear end is pivotally fixed to said back rest and said front end is disposed to removably engage with said control link incident to pivotal movement of said back rest from its upright position to initiate movement of said control link. 
     
     
       7. A chair assembly according to claim 2, wherein said base portion includes an upstanding front mounting flange and said compound linkage means includes front and rear hanger links having upper ends thereof pivotally fixed to said front mounting flange and lower ends thereof pivotally fixed to said lower portion of said front strut. 
     
     
       8. In a multiple position reclining chair assembly of the type including a base portion, a seat portion, a back rest portion carried by said seat portion for rearwardly directed reclining movement relative thereto, a foot rest portion, a foot rest mounting linkage for mounting said foot rest portion on said seat portion for movement relative thereto between a collapsed storage position and an extended supporting position, linkage means operably interconnecting said base portion and said seat portion and said foot rest mounting linkage for moving said seat portion from an upright position forwardly relative to said base portion to a reclined position while as an incident thereto actuating said mounting linkage to move said foot rest portion to said extended supporting position, and operating means for actuating said linkage means, the improvement comprising in combination: said linkage means includes rear and front linkage means for mounting rear and front portions of said seat portion for forwardly and downwardly directed and forwardly and upwardly directed movements, respectively, relative to said base portion incident to movement of said seat portion between said upright and reclined positions, said front linkage means including a front strut having upper and lower ends movably coupled to said seat portion and said base portion, respectively, and a control link pivotally connected adjacent its opposite ends to said foot rest mounting linkage and said front strut for coupling same for conjunctive movements between their upright and storage positions and their reclined and extended positions, respectively, said linkage means being characterized as permitting coasting movement of said seat and foot rest portions into their reclined and supporting positions upon a given displacement of said control link from the position it occupies when said seat portion is in its upright position; and   said operating means is coupled to said back rest portion and responsive to movement thereof from its upright position to effect said given displacement of said control link, characterized in that said control link is operably disconnected from said operating means during said coasting movement.   
     
     
       9. In a multiple position reclining chair assembly of the type including a base portion, a seat portion, a back rest portion carried by said seat portion for rearwardly directed reclining movement relative thereto, a foot rest portion, a foot rest mounting linkage for mounting said foot rest portion on said seat portion for movement relative thereto between a collapsed storage position and an extended supporting position, linkage means operably interconnecting said base portion and said seat portion and said foot rest mounting linkage for moving said seat portion from an upright position forwardly relative to said portion to a reclined position while as an incident thereto actuating said mounting linkage to move said foot rest portion to said extended supporting position, and operating means for actuating said linkage means, the improvement comprising in combination: said linkage means includes rear and front linkage means for mounting rear and front portions of said seat portion for forwardly and downwardly directed and forwardly and upwardly direction movements, respectively, relative to said base portion incident to movement of said seat portion between said upright and reclined positions, said front linkage means including a front strut having upper and lower ends movably coupled to said seat portion and said base portion, respectively, and a control link pivotally connected adjacent its opposite ends to said foot rest mounting linkage and said front strut for coupling same for conjunctive movements between their upright and storage positions and their reclined and extended positions, respectively, said linkage means being characterized as permitting coasting movement of said seat and foot rest portions into their reclined and supporting positions upon a given displacement of said control link from the position it occupies when said seat portion is in its upright position; and   said operating means includes a friction device formed with friction surface means and mounted on said seat portion for movement between operative and inoperative positions, a control rod having a rear end pivotally fixed to said back rest portion and a front end slidably supported by said friction device, spring means tending to oppose pivotal movement of said back rest towards its reclined position and to bias said friction device from said operative position into said operative position thereof, wherein said friction surface means is removed from and disposed in operative frictional surface engagement with said control rod, respectively, and means carried by said front strut and arranged to engage with said friction device to maintain same in said inoperative position against the bias of said spring means during said given displacement of said control link, and said front end of said control rod is arranged to removably engage with said control link to effect said given displacement thereof.